I’m happy to report that an exhibition of my work from the Blackstone River will be opening at the Franklin Square Gallery at the Hanover Theater in Worcester, Massachusetts on June 27. The exhibition is produced by ArtsWorcester and I’m eternally grateful for this opportunity.

The exhibition works were taken along the Blackstone River Bikeway, in Millbury and Worcester, Massachusetts. The Bikeway, which is an even better walking trail, was created during Worcester’s “Little Dig,” i.e. the reconstruction of Route 146, around 2000. I have been fascinated by the anxious beauty there since I first explored the Path in 2013. One can see the interaction of the River, the highway and the railroad, and society in the context of an urban park.

The River is both beautiful and long suffering. The bikeway was created as part of an effort to celebrate and restore the River through the establishment of the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor. The Blackstone has enormous historical significance as the engine of entrepreneurship in the new United States in the late 1700’s. Enormous wealth was created, thousands were employed, but the River was taken for granted. As I’ve described here previously, the River became one of the most polluted rivers in the country. Now, many folks are trying to help the River and the surrounding areas, but it’s tough going. I hope the exhibition contributes to raising awareness of the hidden beauty of the River even in this seemingly hostile environment, celebrating the work that’s gone into trying to help the River and at the same time demonstrating the ever present possibility that we could take our environment for granted at any moment.

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Relating to or denoting the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

Have we crossed into a new geological and biological epoch? Perhaps. There is some debate as to when humans began to overpower the earth, at least the surface 1% of it. Global warming has only been on the radar screen, for most of us, for a few decades. Some scholars though date the anthropocene from the onset of the industrial revolution, and perhaps even the dawn of agriculture thousands of years ago.

Traveling around the Blackstone River Valley of central Massachusetts, one gets the definite sense that it’s been going on for a while. I’ve been immersed in issues related to sustainability for the past year or so as part of my work at Babson College. This valley, where I now live, reveals an interesting story of the industrial revolution and its impact, one that I will be talking and photographing more about over the next several years.

I’ll with just a simple image of a rather iconic location in the Valley, the dam at the Mumford River that created the mill ponds that powered Whitin Machine Works.

The Whitin Machine Works was founded in 1831. It ultimately became one of the largest textile machinery factories in the world, employing over 5000 people at its peak in the late 1940’s. It’s been out of business since 1976, victim of changing business conditions. Obviously, here, there was an impact on the environment, though nothing we aren’t used to seeing. Perhaps not such a big deal, though we can imagine that the river was ultimately quite polluted. Consider though, courtesy of Google Earth, the bigger picture.

When I took the first image I was standing on the sidewalk of the roadway you see in the lower right hand corner. Note how the dam has changed the surrounding geography, for miles. The dam no longer provides power for the mill, but it shaped a landscape that those in the community came to accept and with which they are now powerfully linked. The next time you see a dam, consider what’s behind it. This is one dam. More to come.

(I want to give full credit to my colleague at Babson College, Professor Joanna Carey, for the fundamental ideas behind this series on dams in New England.)

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I’m honored to report that one of my images just received a third place award at the “Anything Goes” Photography Exhibition at the Blackstone Valley Arts Association in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. There is some tremendous work in the exhibition so if you’re in the area, considering stopping in. I was particularly pleased because the juror was Stephen Dirado. He’s one of the top fine art photographers in New England and though I’ve actually never met him, I’ve followed him for some time. He shots large format black and white photography, and his imagery is absolutely stunning. This is an abstract image, taken at the South Natick Dam along the Charles River. I thought of a Greek Letter. You’re invited to draw your own conclusions.

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We had a fairly nasty winter storm covering much of New England yesterday. Inland, it was just another snow storm. On the coast, the seas sadly became a lethal hazard. My home is blessed with a back yard that faces conservation land just twenty feet or so from our back windows. Until the snow covered the windows, we could see into the forest and experience the storm in a way that was very intimate. I don’t do well with enforced staying at home, but the forest offered some considerable solace.

You have to admire the ability of nature to withstand it’s own barrage. Were we all so resilient.

Technical Note: These images were made with 6K photo on a Panasonic GH5. It is perfect for capturing action like this. You hold the shutter down for several seconds capturing thirty 18 mp. jpgs. You can review the individual images in capture and save those that may have appeal. It’s a fascinating strategy that I suspect has a great deal of utility for a variety of situations, particularly family and sports.

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Welcome to the environmental photography and sustainability blog of James M. Hunt. Chris, my wife, and I care deeply about our natural environment and in particular those places, beings and phenomena that may not get the attention that they deserve, in spite of their importance. Since the places we tend to frequent may receive a bit less attention, we're often engaged in a process of discovery ourselves. We'll let you know here something of what we learn along the way. Thanks for taking the time to join us.

All images on this site are copyright (c) James M. Hunt, 2010 through 2018 all rights are reserved. No use of any image posted here without written consent.
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FINE ART PRINTING OF WESTBOROUGH
James is also the proprietor of Fine Art Printing of Westborough, a printing, scanning, and photo restoration business operating in Westborough, Massachusetts. You can see the link below. Inquiries are welcomed!